Comments on: AskPablo: Should I buy soda in plastic bottles or aluminum cans?

By: unnone

unnone — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:26:09 +0000

cans get colder faster so idk

By: Erin

Erin — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 01:03:51 +0000

What about the outcome of recycling a plastic bottle versus an aluminum can? An aluminum can can be recycled and 100% of the materials are preserved to make a new can. After recycling a plastic bottle it cannot be used to make a new one. The plastic goes into other products and virgin materials are used to construct a new bottle. The aluminum can may take more energy to make, but once it is recycled it is back on the shelves within 60 days as a brand new can. Try to do that with plastic.

By: robert

robert — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:50:35 +0000

crap bag

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:49:41 +0000

crap bag

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:49:36 +0000

crap bag

By: VicinSea

VicinSea — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:06:13 +0000

Everything should be packaged in REUSABLE glass containers.
Fruits and veggies: pint and quart jars w/ paper labels.
Soda, water, milk and other drinks: 2-3 different sizes of interchangable bottles.
Liquid detergents, soaps and shampoos in white glass containers(to keep them separate from clear food containers.)
The same trucks that deliver the products can take the empties back to the bottling plants.
Anytime a new container has to be made it is a waste. Reuse is the best way for the future.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:54:49 +0000

hey wow thanx for an answer douche bags im tryin to do some h/w

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:54:42 +0000

hey wow thanx for an answer douche bags im tryin to do some h/w

By: Costa

Costa — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:04:43 +0000

…Otherwise, it depends.

By: Costa

Costa — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:03:50 +0000

Great post and good points. You always do a good job of explaining the simple answer on many of these ‘is this better than that’ questions — that as with everything in life cycle analysis, it’s all about the assumptions. Aluminum smelting plants are mostly located near sources of cheap, abundant electricity (because the process is so energy intensive). The answer to the original question changes if the aluminum is made say, in the pacific northwest or other area with a lot of hydropower (or in a territory with a lot of nuclear generation), or in a territory with mostly coal. The same thing can be said of the location of the bauxite refining operations. Recycled aluminum has very low (~5% of virgin) embodied energy, so again the recycling rate matters. So, as you said, the easy answer to cans vs. bottles is: neither.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 23:16:09 +0000

break the habit and drink water